Caladium plant named ‘Summer Breeze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Caladium  plant named ‘Summer Breeze’, characterized by its upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; fancy-type leaves that are creamy white in color with central pink-colored blush, pink-colored venation and green-colored margins; and good landscape performance.

Botanical designation: Caladium×hortulanum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUMMER BREEZE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium×hortulanum, commercially referred to as a fancy leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Summer Breeze’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April, 2006 in Avon Park, Fla. of Caladium×hortulanum ‘John Peed’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium×hortulanum ‘Candidum Senior’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. on September, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by ‘chipping’ the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Fla. since April, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Caladium have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Summer Breeze’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Summer Breeze’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Fancy-type leaves that are creamy white in color with central         pink-colored blush, pink-colored venation and green-colored         margins.     -   4. Good landscape performance.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘John Peed’, in leaf color as plants of ‘John Peed’ have dark green-colored leaves with red-colored venation. In addition, plants of the new Caladium and ‘John Peed’ differ in petiole color as plants of ‘John Peed’ have dark pink-colored leaf petioles with dark green to almost black-colored stippling, streaks and tessellations.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Candidum Senior’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium are more compact than plants of         ‘Candidum Senior’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum Senior’ differ in         leaf coloration as leaves of plants of ‘Candidum Senior’ are         creamy white to dark green-colored venation and margins.     -   3. Plants of the Caladium and ‘Candidum Senior’ differ in leaf         petiole coloration as leaf petioles of plants of ‘Candidum         Senior’ are dark green to almost black or tan green with         dark-colored stippling, streaks and stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘Candidum’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘Candidum’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium were more compact than and not as         open as plants of ‘Candidum’.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium grew slower than plants of         ‘Candidum’ as plants of the new Caladium produced finished         plants about one week later than plants of ‘Candidum’.     -   3. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum’ differed in leaf         coloration as leaves of plants of ‘Candidum’ were white in color         with dark green-colored venation.     -   4. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘Candidum’ differed in leaf         petiole coloration as leaf petioles of plants of ‘Candidum’ were         tan green in color with darker-colored stripes.

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium×hortulanum ‘White Queen’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differed primarily from plants of ‘White Queen’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Queen’ differed in leaf         coloration as leaves of plants of ‘White Queen’ were white in         color with a uniform pink-colored blush across the entire leaf         surface with rose red-colored venation.     -   2. Plants of the new Caladium and ‘White Queen’ differed in leaf         petiole coloration as leaf petioles of plants of ‘White Queen’         were almost black in color with tan pink-colored stippling,         streaks and tessellations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Caladium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Caladium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Summer Breeze’ in a 15-cm container and grown in a shadehouse.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a comparison view of typical plants of ‘Summer Breeze’ grown in 15-cm containers; the plant on the left has not had its tuber de-eyed and the plant on the right has had its tuber de-eyed prior to planting.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a view of typical plants of ‘Summer Breeze’ grown in an open field.

The photograph at the top of the third sheet is a close-up view of typical freshly-harvested tubers and roots of ‘Summer Breeze’.

The photograph at bottom of the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Summer Breeze’.

The photograph at the top of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of ‘Candidum’ (left), ‘Summer Breeze’ (center) and ‘White Queen’ (right).

The photograph at the bottom of the fourth sheet is a comparison view of typical potted plants of the female parent, ‘John Peed’ (left), ‘Summer Breeze’ (center) and the male parent, ‘Candidum Senior’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Fla. and plants grown in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Fla. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shadehouse and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 33° C. (shadehouse) or 29° C. to 35° C. (outdoor nursery), night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. (shadehouse) or 23° C. to 26° C. (outdoor nursery) and light levels were about 8,000 foot-candles (shadehouse) or 10,000 to 12,000 foot-candles (outdoor nursery). Plants grown in the shadehouse were eight weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were seven months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Caladium×hortulanum ‘Summer Breeze’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘John Peed’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Caladium×hortulanum ‘Candidum             Senior’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By “chipping” the tubers.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven to ten days at             32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             24° C.         -   Tuber description (outdoor nursery-grown             plants).—Appearance: Multi-segmented and somewhat flattened;             individual segments ovate to elliptic in shape. Height:             About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 3.6 cm. Segment height: About             2 cm. Segment diameter: About 1.4 cm. Texture: Thick,             starchy; somewhat brittle. Color: Epidermis,             freshly-harvested: Close to 199B to 199C and N199B.             Epidermis, dried: Close to 200A to 200B. Cortical tissue:             Close to 36D. Axillary buds: Close to 37C to 37D. Root             description: Thick, fleshy contractile roots; color, close             to N155C. Rooting habit: Few lateral branches; moderately             dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial; suitable as a potted plant             in containers 15-cm to 25-cm and suitable as a landscape             plant in shaded areas.         -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly mounding plant             habit; vigorous and dense growth habit; rapid growth rate,             potted plants in finished or saleable form in about seven to             eight weeks after planting tubers; leaf petioles and leaves             arise from one or more growing points on tubers; petioles             mostly upright and arching outwardly with development.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of foliar plane,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 24 cm to 32 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of inflorescences,             shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 24.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About 37 cm to 42 cm.         -   Number of clumps per plant, shadehouse-grown potted             plants.—About two to four from de-eyed tubers.         -   Cataphylls, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Length: About 4             cm to 6.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Shape:             Wedge-shaped. Apex: Acuminate to acute. Base: Sheathing the             stem. Color, outer surface: Close to 159C stippled and             streaked with close to N200A and tinged with close to 147C;             with development, color becoming closer to 200C to 200D             stained with close to 187A. Color, inner surface: Close to             155C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate; simple; fancy-type.         -   Length, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—About 14 cm to 27             cm.         -   Width, shadehouse-grown potted plants, flattened.—About 10.3             cm to 18 cm.         -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute to cuspidate.         -   Base.—Sagittate, peltate.         -   Margin.—Entire; mostly flat with some broad undulations.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; dull             sheen.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous; glaucous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color, shadehouse-grown potted plants.—Developing and fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Background color: Close to             155C; towards the center, blushed with close to 185D;             margins, close to 147A. Basal notch: Close to 187B.             Venation: Close to 185B to 185C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Background color: Close to             155C; towards the center, faintly tinged with close to 185D;             towards the margins, close to 147B and 146B; margins, close             to 187A. Basal notch: Close to 187B. Midvein: Close to 54C             streaked with close to 185C. Primary venation: Close to 195A             tinged with close to 54C; areas surrounding the veins, close             to 185C. Secondary venation: Close to 146B.         -   Petiole.—Aspect: Initially upright and straight; with             development, leaning outwardly; flexible. Length,             shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 18 cm to 22 cm.             Diameter, distal, shadehouse-grown potted plants: About 3.5             mm to 4.5 mm. Diameter, proximal, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: About 6 mm to 8 mm. Color, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: Just below the leaf and petiole junction close to             56C to 56D and 36D tinged with close to 194C to 194D with             streaks, close to 185B to 185C; overall, close to 199C to             199D variably tinged with close to 182D and stippled,             streaked and tessellated with close to N200A tinged with             close to 147B. Wing length, shadehouse-grown potted plants:             About 3 cm to 5.5 cm. Wing diameter, shadehouse-grown potted             plants: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Wing color, shadehouse-grown             potted plants, outer surface: Close to 159C stippled and             streaked with close to N200A and tinged with close to 147C.             Wing color, shadehouse-grown potted plants, inner surface:             Close to N155C; outer surface colors and patterns visible. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescences observed on eleven     week-old shadehouse-grown potted plants.     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement.—Upright hooded spathes             surrounding a columnar spadix borne on a tall upright scape;             spadix with sessile, simple female and male flowers             separated into two zones; female flowers develop on the             lower one-third of the spadix; male flowers develop on the             upper two-thirds of the spadix; sterile flowers develop at             junction of female and male flower zones; near this             junction, the spathe constricts and surrounds and encloses             the female flowers; spathe open and cupped around male             flowers.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately night fragrant; sweet jasmine-like             fragrance with camphor-like notes.         -   Natural flowering season and flower longevity.—Plants of the             new Caladium typically flower during the spring or early             summer in central Florida; flowers develop about eleven             weeks after growth commences; inflorescences last about             three days before fading; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length, overall: About 9.5 cm. Length, distal open             portion: About 6.5 cm. Length, proximal closed portion:             About 3 cm. Width, distal open portion: About 3.5 cm. Width,             at constriction: About 1.1 cm. Width, proximal closed             portion: About 2 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Tapering to the peduncle. Margin: Entire. Texture, front and             rear surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, front surface:             Distal open portion: Close to 155B to 155C; with             development, color becoming closer to 200D. Proximal closed             portion: Close to 148C to 148D, proximally tinged with close             to 187B, color does not change with development. Color, rear             surface: Distal open portion: Close to 155A, 155C and 145C             to 145D; towards the apex, close to 145A. Proximal closed             portion: Close to 138C and 147C to 147D.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 6.5 cm. Length, male flower zone:             About 4.8 cm. Length, sterile zone: About 1.2 cm. Length,             female flower zone: About 1.7 cm. Diameter, male flower             zone: About 8 mm. Diameter, sterile flower zone: About 7 mm.             Diameter, female flower zone: About 8 mm. Shape: Columnar,             spindle-shaped. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Aspect: Upright.             Color, mature, male zone: Close to 158D. Color, mature,             sterile zone: Close to 158D. Color, mature, female zone:             Close to 11D. Male flowers: Quantity per spadix: About 165.             Shape: Obovate. Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Pollen amount: None observed. Female flowers: Quantity per             spadix: About 112. Shape: Obovate. Height: About 3 mm.             Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Stigma color: Close to 11D. Ovary             color: Close to 155D.         -   Scape.—Length: About 24.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Sturdy; flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous; glaucous. Color: Just below spathe, close             to 147C faintly streaked with close to N200A; overall, close             to 199D variably tined with close to 182D and variable             stippled, streaked and tessellated with close to N200A             tinged with close to 147C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Caladium. -   Disease & pest tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been     observed to have above average tolerance to Xanthomonas Leaf Spot     and to have average tolerance to Pythium Root Rot. Plants of the new     Caladium have not been observed to have resistance to pests and     other pathogens common to Caladium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Caladium have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 7° C. to about     40° C. and are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8A to 11. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Caladium plant named ‘Summer Breeze’ as illustrated and described. 